Though cancer is a leading killer in the world today, it is still not clearly understood how cancer cells are formed. Many experts feel that emotional anxiety and despair tend to promote the development of cancer, while emotions like hope and joy enhance one’s power to combat it. Cancer, which spreads as individual cancer cells grow more virulent, subsides as the immune system grows stronger. The strength of the immune system is said to be deeply related to one’s state of mind.
Actually, there are many cases in which a patient’s cancer has become benign or even reversed itself without any medical treatment. This is called natural involution or retrogression. A doctor who studied 26 such cancer cases concluded that what most of these patients had in common was an immune system that appeared to be unusually strong, as well as spiritual strength – they never became depressed or lost hope. Most were people who continued to possess a sense of purpose in life.
Those who have overcome cancer seem to be those who vehemently refused to succumb to their disease. It is possible to recover from dreaded diseases like cancer if one’s mental and physical functions continue to operate with dynamic strength and vigour. Of course along with maintaining such resolve, it is important to seek the advice and treatment of a reliable doctor.
When we do fall ill, we should tell ourselves, “All right, this is a chance to change my destiny – I will definitely recover and become even healthier than before!” According to Soka Gakkai President Daisaku Ikeda, “When one is blessed with wisdom, courage and the natural power of healing, he has mental and physical state in which medicine and medical treatment are no longer necessary. Not only must we be strong and healthy physically, we must also be spiritually strong. In addition, we can only be healthy in the true sense if we are also socially healthy and strong. One is genuinely healthy only when he is healthy in both body and mind and living creatively. Simply put, the essence of health lies only in the continuous reformation and revitalization of life.”
Thus, as SGI President Ikeda encourages us, we should establish a truly happy and healthy state of life. So let us resolve and change poison into medicine.
